Grassley Questions Ag, Treasury and Commerce Nominees on Trade Policy, Whistleblowers, National Debt and More

Grassley Questions Ag, Treasury and Commerce Nominees on Trade Policy, Whistleblowers, National Debt and More

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) submitted questions for the record to President Donald Trump's nominees who appeared before the Senate Finance and Agriculture Committees this week. Grassley's questions focused on protecting Iowa pork producers amid U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations, expanding opportunities for small and beginning farmers, strengthening the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Whistleblower Program and addressing the nation's rising debt.

Nominees who testified before the Finance Committee on Tuesday were Francis Browne to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury, Christopher Abbott to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Robert Stebbins to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury. Nominees who testified before the Agriculture Committee were Gregory Ibach to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and Carl Bednarski, John Grunewald II and James Russell Middleton to be members of the Farm Credit Administration Board.

In his written questions to nominees from both committees, Grassley cited his letter with the Iowa congressional delegation last month urging the administration to consider the impact of its decision to terminate a trade agreement with Mexico that has threatened Iowa's pork industry and contributed to higher tomato prices for American consumers.

Grassley underscored to the Farm Credit Administration board nominees the need to support small and beginning farmers.

Finally, in questions to the Finance Committee nominees for the Treasury and Commerce Departments, Grassley stressed the need to address longstanding delays in the IRS Whistleblower Program's payment process. Grassley authored the 2006 legislation to create the IRS Whistleblower Program, which has brought in over $8 billion to the Treasury. Grassley also questioned the nominees on America's dire fiscal state and asked what types of policies they would advise the administration to pursue to put budget deficits and the national debt on a sustainable fiscal path.

Senators submit Questions For the Record (QFRs) to hearing witnesses to receive detailed, written responses from witnesses. Grassley expects timely answers from the nominees.

Grassley's questions to the Finance Committee nominees can be found HERE, and his questions to the Agriculture Committee nominees can be found HERE.

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